Director of Corporate Affairs, NGP

The Role

Location: London or Germany

The Director of Corporate Affairs, NGP operates as part of the CA Leadership Team reporting directly to the Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, and also sits on the Next Generation Products (NGP) Leadership team partnering with the Global NGP Category Director.

As a core member of the NGP Leadership Team, the role holder will provide collective governance and leadership for the NGP category, including setting and leading NGP Corporate Affairs Strategy. They will business partner with the relevant teams of the Global Consumer Office (GCO) and work closely with all members of the NGP Leadership Team, particularly the NGP Category Directors (covering electronic vapour products (EVP), heated tobacco products (HTP), and oral nicotine delivery (OND) products) and Innovation team. They will represent Corporate Affairs in the Idea to Launch (I2L) process and GCO governance forums relating to NGP and will partner on key initiatives and projects.

The role holder will own all advocacy policy positions and issues research relating to the NGP category. The individual will develop, internally test, gain approval, and where necessary revise these policies. Policy approval will be through the Policy Forum. There may also be the requirement for occasional policy development and education work with the CEO, and, less regularly, with the Board. The role holder will also ensure that once approved, policies are communicated internally, and advocated externally, to industry associations and the broader public. The policy aspect of the role will cover all Imperial's global markets except the Americas, where our subsidiary, ITG Brands, has operational independence.

To succeed, the Director of Corporate Affairs, NGP, will demonstrate enterprise leadership, leverage excellent relations across Imperial, represent the NGP Leadership Team in internal forums and represent the NGP consumer in all decisions and activities. They will collaborate closely with the other key areas of the Group Corporate Affairs function and with its peers on the CA Leadership team. This is a high-visibility role within Imperial Brands, demanding an excellent ability to communicate, motivate and deliver.

Principle Accountabilities

• Represent corporate affairs on the NGP Leadership Team and represent the NGP Leadership Team in Group Corporate Affairs decision-making.
• Provide governance, leadership and strategic-thinking for the NGP category in Imperial Brands.
• Act as a Corporate Affairs "Business Partner" for NGP Category Directors, providing either direct advice or seeking technical expertise from within the business (Group Legal, Fiscal Affairs, Group Science etc.).
• Set out a clear and concise NGP Corporate Affairs that support our NGP Must Win Battles – pursuing an external environment towards our preferred policy outcomes, or at least to minimise any major deviations away from our desired outcomes.
• Contribute to NGP pilot market success and abstract key Corporate Affairs learnings for market scaling.
• Ensure that Corporate Affairs considerations are embedded into our IPMs and Innovation programme, working closely with our Innovation teams across NGP categories.
• Oversee the content of all policy positions relating to NGP. Work with the Director of Corporate Affairs, Combustibles to ensure that the process for formulating policy is fit for purpose, and ensuring that improvements are made when/where this is not the case.
• Understand the existing environment and anticipate future developments that may provide opportunities or threats, and ensure that these opportunities are understood throughout the business.
• Develop and manage a diverse and inclusive team.

Skills and Experience Required

Essential:

• Experience of coordinating Corporate Affairs projects across stakeholders/markets, preferably within a large multinational company
• Demonstrated experience in enterprise leadership and confidence operating in matrix-style organisations combining direct and functional reporting
• Track record of successful project management cross-functional and interdisciplinary projects
• A strong commercial mind-set with experience in the nicotine, FMCG or D2C sectors
• Influencing/relationship management skills across multiple stakeholders, with proven ability to advise and influence at the highest level, both internally and externally
• Gravitas and experience to navigate complex internal structures to deliver results
• Ability to lead and inspire others
• Ability to operate dynamically in an environment of change and manage and prioritise multiple programs of work
• Thorough understanding of Corporate Affairs disciplines and challenges faced by professionals
• Communications and excellent writing skills
• Proven ability to form networks and build relationships across markets

Desirable:

• Additional European languages would be an advantage
• Media experience would be useful

What We Offer

In return for playing your part in building our future, you will receive a comprehensive compensation package with salary, bonus scheme and further benefits as well inspiring places to work and collaborate with purpose. Here at Imperial we will give you the opportunity to grow and learn, innovate at pace and be a part of our purpose to forge a path to a healthier future for moments of relaxation and pleasure for our consumers.

Everyone Belongs

Everyone belongs in Imperial. We are proud of being a truly inclusive organisation. We encourage and welcome applications from people of all ages, genders, ethnicities, nationalities, disabilities, sexual orientation, religions or beliefs and of neuro divergence. We give fair and equal consideration to all our applicants. Please contact us at [email protected] to let us know if we can provide support in helping you complete an application and/or attend an interview.

About Us

We're a truly international company, fourth largest in our industry and operating across 120 markets. An inclusive, innovative global FMCG business supported by 25,000 employees. As we embrace a new era of growth, we are transforming. Our ways of working and culture are driven by a challenger mindset, constantly questioning the status quo where people can bring their best selves to work. Our agility and collaboration are driving our ambitions, innovation and success all supported by our award-winning development programmes that creates exciting and rewarding career opportunities for all. Encouraging inclusion at local levels and supporting a developing and robust diversity agenda globally, we’re fully committed to creating and maintaining an environment that celebrates and respects difference.

As a matter of policy, Imperial Tobacco or its subsidiaries never requests or requires payment as part of any recruitment process.